New

Artist

Bethany Dillon

Album

Imagination

Lyrics

What is this sun that conquers mountains
Singing over what has been asleep?
What is it that softens all my doubting?
It’s You

Morning brings a hunger for new eyes
That have been covered by the hurt of yesterday
Who could create in me the vision of a little child?
It’s You

You take an ordinary day
And turn it into flowers like the month of May
Yes, You do
And You see all my pain
And cry over it for hours till I’m new again
Yes, You do

When I have been the victim of familiarity
When my heart has fallen into sleep
Healing is the voice that awakens me
And it is You

You, You make me new.

Behind the Song

“Before the record ‘officially’ began, Brad made the wonderful suggestion that we should get a group together to pray. So Brad, Ed, Al Andrews (founder of Porter’s Call, a ministry to artists in Nashville) and I met one night in the studio – it kind of felt like the deep breath before the plunge. I tried my best to share what my dreams were for the record; where God had taken me recently, what kind of songs were coming out of it. Hours flew by … it was such a sweet time of fellowship and linking arms with each other for the road ahead. Toward the end of the night Al closed in prayer, and I noticed a couple minutes into it that Ed had pulled out his phone and was writing something down. I wasn’t too surprised by it (the guy is random), but I just hoped that it wasn’t a grocery list or something. The ‘amen’ was said, and Ed looked at us, biting back a smile, and said, ‘Hey… I think I’ve got something.’ I’ll never forget that moment; he picked up a guitar and began to sing to us this ridiculously gorgeous melody. The record had begun. For some reason, there was a chunk of time when the song was kind of put on the back burner. During that time I wondered if it just wasn’t meant for the record, but in hindsight I think it was simply because God wanted to provide in a better way than what we could ever have hoped for. One morning in the studio Ed was telling me how he was reading the Chronicles of Narnia with his kids. They were going through ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ and said the chapter they had read the night before was so moving… and, of course, he ended up running over to the house to get it for me so I could be moved by it, too. He read a part of Chapter 8: ‘The Fight at the Lamp Post.’ It felt like the curtain had been drawn open… the dark of searching and waiting had lifted. The song ‘New’ was born in light of that incredible picture C.S. Lewis painted: God’s gentle voice stirring things into being. I love the eternal youthfulness of God; the simplicity of His heart. But the uncomfortable thing about seeing that part of Him is that it sheds light on my own heart… it’s grown old. Where I was once fearless and full of faith, I’m now sensibly hesitant.

‘Morning brings the hunger for new eyes/That have been covered by the hurt of yesterday/Who could create in me the vision of a little child/It’s You…’

I guess you could say I’m learning how to see things fresh and new. His restoration is so bright and simple, standing firm in the middle of all the most raw, wounded places in me.” – Bethany Dillon